Archive for the ‘Liverpool’ Category

The second game of Arsene’s pre-season takes place tomorrow against the scousers at lunchtime. This is where reality hits home and the team get the opportunity to prove that they are ready to handle the gauntlet that Arsene has thrown down. If not, then the temperature inside the Emirates is going to go up a few notches.

So what can we expect? One thing that I was not anticipating is that Nasri might actually make an appearance tomorrow seeing that he is still under contract with Arsenal. As far Arsene is concerned that’s the way it should be :

“Everywhere I have worked in my life I have made sure that until the last second of where I was I did the job properly. He is paid this month by Arsenal Football Club so why should he not play?”

The problem here is that the way Nasri has conducted himself in the public has exactly been appeasing to the fanbase. Even if Nasri does start and performs well it will be interesting to see how the fans respond. I have a feeling that they might give him an initial chance as it would be quite vitriolic to boo from the off but you never know.

Taking this into consideration the start line-up should look something like this:

Szszceny

Sanga – Koscienly – Vermaelen – Jenkinson

Arshavin – Frimpong – Ramsey – Nasri

Walcott – RvP

The bench has been strengthed with the additional of Djourou to the bench. Whilst he may have receovered from his hamsting twinge I am not convinced that he will be risked unless necessary.

In complete contrast to Arsenal, Liverpool have been flashing the cash on players who are well known to the Premiership. Not that it means they have suddenly into a super fantastic world beating team overnight but they have certainly strengthed since last year. Of the players in their team that have the potential to cause us problems it’s likely to be the two upfront, Suarez and Carroll. Let’s hope that the back four continue their current run of form and keep another clean sheet.

This then leaves us to consider the likely outcome for Saturday’s match and given the current public goings on at the clubs the bookies are still making Arsenal the very slight favourites:

Paddy Power: Home Win – 6/4; Away Win – 15/8

William Hill: Home Win – 13/8; Away Win – 7/4

Ladbrokes: Home Win – 11/8; Away Win – 2/1

These odds are taking into consideration current squads and potential starting XI’s but it’s worth considering more previous clashes and determining the likehood of teams scoring from past performance. Castrol football has a great prediction tool that encompasses all these factors and they suggest a greater likelihood of an Arsenal victory. I’ll take that any day and maybe, just maybe, we’ll be pleasantly suprised with Saturday’s performance:

Arsenal Win 59%; Draw 22% and Liverpool Win19%

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In other news, Wenger has been charged by UEFA for his attempts to remain in managerial control during the first leg of the CL qualifier against Udinese. Another case of the footballing authorities of being over zealous in the interpretation of their own rules and it’s not as if he tried to smuggle himself into in dressing room by hiding in the linen basket. It’s unlikely he’ll escape further punishment but to what extent we are yet to see.

Also, there has been confirmation that Joel Campbell’s move to Arsenal has been confirmed. His shirt number is yet to be confirmed as is a work permit, but you would like to hope that the work permit department at Arsenal have completed their homework this time and the application will be agreed first time around.

Roll on Saturday’s match and in a voyeuristic sense that the reaction between the fans and the team/manager will be interesting to say the least. Let’s hope that all the talking is left to the pitch and here’s to an Arsenal win.

P*ssed it down this evening. Anything interesting at all? Anything? Please! Not a chance

Having a constant in life gives reassurance that the world is still normal. It proves that there is order in life and reaffirms that British summers are simply lousy. Yet it’s on days like today the only way to pass away the hours and minutes of monotony is to continually click the refresh button on your browser in the insane hope that your personalised NewsNow feed might have breaking news on the new super, smashing, great, out of this world quality signing, along with his technicolour dream coat.

Alas no, the sky just continues to open its big bulbous belly and rinse away any remnants of the summer that so could have been the one we’d once dreamed of.

If it were a midweek break for a pointless International friendly then you would be accustomed to some of the fringe players being interviewed on how they are looking forward to proving they can fulfill that under developed ability to break into the first team squad. Oh……..they’re going to do it this weekend you say? Really? There’s no one else who can start? Wow!

Big responsibility actually and we’ll have a look at what Arsenals starting lin-up might be compared to Liverpool’s tomorrow.

Seeing that Arsene continues to treat August like it’s a pre-season training camp with no new signings coming in so far our pre-season squad will continue to carry on through to the end of the month.

The August pre-season schedule is as follows:

13 August: Newcastle 0 – 0 Arsenal

16 August: Arsenal 1 – 0 Udinese

20 August: Arsenal – Liverpool

24 August: Udinese – Arsenal

28 August: Manchester United – Arsenal.

Here’s hoping that Arsenals pre-season continues with its current run of lucky good form so that when the first proper game takes place against Swansea on the 10th September, the team will finally know who will be playing where and also for real points……….ermmmm.

Tomorrow we shall see the pre-match press conference which is bound to include questioning on the lack of a first team squad for Saturday; how much interest does the club accrue on a daily basis from the transfer fund currently being underspent; and will Arsene get his own phone rather than having to borrow from his mate Boro P?

Wouldn’t it be nice for just one day to feel confident that your team is going into the big game this weekend with a strong squad following a busy summer of transfer activities. As we know, the Chief Executive Officer had promised:

“It is very clear we had some shortcomings and in this close season we are going to see some turnover of players. Some new signings will be coming in and some of our existing squad will be going out. As Arsène has said, it will be a busy close season for the club.”

It’s certainly been busy but not in the way you would like to see. So far we have seen the exits of Gael Clichy, Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Eboue, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and by tomorrow the likely departure of Samir Nasri. In addition to this, some first teamers from last year have gone out on season long loan with Carlos Vela and Denilson taking time out in warmer climates.

On top of this, the hard long season is already starting to take its toll on the playing staff with Wilshire, Rosicky, Djoruou, Gibbs, Traore, Diaby all carrying knocks and are unlikely to start on Saturday against Liverpool. Off these, maybe Rosicky could recover in time. This is now making both Gervinhos and Songs 3 game suspension even more critical that it may have appeared at the time.

So where does this leave the first team selection? Tricky! It could look something like this:

Defence:

Szczseny

Sagna – Koscienly – Vermaelen – Jenkinson

This was the back four that finished the game at Udinese on Tuesday and maybe Jenkinson is yet not adaptable enough to take the unfamiliar berth on the left. The only other formation I can see at the back is that Squillaci goes into the centre of defence which TV taking the left back position

Midfield:

Arshavin – Frimpong/Rosicky – Ramsey – ?Walcott

This does very much depend on whether Rosicky can shake off the knock that he received on Tuesday night. If not, then I can only see that Frimpong will start and play in Songs holding role but for someone who only made his Premiership debut as a replacement on Saturday against Newcastle this is asking a bit much. Another consideration would be for Walcott to drop deeper into a 4-4-2 formation leaving our options for……….

Attack:

?Walcott – RvP – Chamakh

On paper it looks like a weak First XI can be put together but things start to get shaky when you consider who might be on the bench:

We actually only have 6 substitutes and with greatest respect to the youn lads in the team is a big-spending Liverpool and Manchester United the types of teams that you want to start cutting your cloth against? It’s also highly unlikely that 2 substitute goalkeepers will be named on the bench. This is highly embarrassing for a club that claims that it wants to challenge for the title this season. To have a squad that it so threadbare is really difficult to comprehend and needs to be addressed immediately following another season of hot air and postulating about potential targets that disappointingly never seem come to fruition.

We’re still awaiting for the super quality signing Arsene and on this form maybe two or three before the weekend would be helpful.

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In other news we heard on Friday that Arsenal have agreed terms with Deportivo Saprissa for the signing of Costa Rican striker Joel Campbell we still awaiting final confirmation of signature with the player. Earlier today, Joel was listed on the Arsenal.com First Team drop down list but this seems to have disappeared. Apparently, he has desires on the number 12 shirt which is certainly free at the moment and it will certainly be good to see Campbell on the back of an Arsenal shirt once more. However, fans should still be cautious about Campbell’s ability to adapt to the Premiership considering he age and experience. Even the boss went as far to say in last nights programme notes:

“Joel is a young prospect, he has talent and he can play right, left or centrally,”

“We took a gamble on him but, from what we have seen, it is worth taking.”

Interesting note for fact facts: There has now been a Campbell in an Arsenal shirt in the 80’s, 90’s, 00’s and now the 10’s.

With tomorrow being another day of not escaping the Arsenal merry-go-round that will included more transfer confirmation, speculations and likely frustrations it’s all becoming a little bit tedious. It’s just the beginning and is unlikely to slow down until the close of the transfer window at the end of the month. Maybe then, we can really have a look at the squad Arsene will have in order to mount a challenge for the league title.